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"Never under any condition should this nation look at an immigrant as primarily a labor unit. He should always be looked at primarily as a future citizen."-Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

"It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people."-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Isaona i tumungo’ ya ha sedi, ki ayo i mismo umisagui hao. Greater is the fault of he who allows the injustice upon himself. "-Chamorro proverb

"There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves." -Jose Rizal

"I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights." -Bishop Desmond Tutu

Disclaimer: This is not a legal blog. No opinion or statement should be perceived as legal advice. All posts are the opinion of the author or contributors who are expressing their First Amendment Rights.

Greetings to all of the foreign workers of the CNMI! I wish I could join you at OCCUPY USCIS, but it is impossible, so just know that I stand with you in spirit.

Please mark your calendars for November 21st which is the date of the special gathering at USCIS. There will be a celebration of friendship and solidarity for all foreign workers and their families from 2:00 to 6:00. Please attend! (Details are HERE)

While you suffer uncertainty and anguish over your status that could change from legal to illegal overnight after November 27th, another gathering will be held on November 21st in the state of Alabama. Even as your urgent plight is ignored by the congressional members who call themselves immigration advocates and reformists, the plight of the undocumented aliens in the states will be highlighted.

Ten "progressive" Democrats who support immigration reform will be traveling to Birmingham, Alabama on November 21st to protest Alabama's immigration law. Every one of these Democrats co-sponsored H.R. 1466, a bill that would provide a restrictive and un-American CNMI-only immigration status for only 1/4 of the 16,000 legal, long-term workers in the CNMI.

The ten members who co-sponsored H.R. 1466 who will be protesting the anti-immigrant Alabama law on November 21st are Reps. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Judy Chu of California, Joe Baca of California, Charlie Gonzalez of Texas, Yvette Clarke of New York, Al Green of Texas, Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Zoe Lofgren of California, Grace Napolitano of California and Silvestre Reyes of Texas. They will join Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL).

Foreign contract workers can contact these members to let them know that you would like their support too. Contact them to let them know that you would like them to introduce legislation that would provide for permanent residency for all of the legal, long-term foreign workers in the CNMI. Click each name listed below to get their email addresses and phone numbers. If you do not have the time to contact all of them, then I suggest contacting the top four on the list.

Sample message to leave on the voice mail or to write in an email:

I am __________________, a legal foreign worker in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. I have lived and worked legally in the CNMI for ________ years. In only days, after November 27, 2010 many of the 16,000 legal foreign workers face losing status and even removal because a federal guest worker program provided for in PL 110-229 goes into effect. The law contained no status provision for guest workers, but did provide a provision that the Department of Interior would write a report by May 2010 with recommendations for status for all foreign workers. The report was issued in April 2010, but the U.S. Congress failed to act on it. The only response for status has been H.R. 1466, a bill which you co-sponsored. The bill provides an inferior and restrictive status for only 1/4 of the 16,000 legal, long-term foreign workers –only those with a U.S. child or spouse. Not only does HR 1466 omit 12,000 legal aliens from the bill and from even basic status protection, but it restricts travel and denies basic rights for the 4,000 that would be covered. I appeal to you to immediately amend H.R. 1466 to include ALL 16,000 legal, long-time foreign workers of the CNMI. As a temporary solution to address the immediate humanitarian crisis in the CNMI that impacts 90% of the private work sector, I also appeal to you to ask DHS to provide parole-in-place with work authorization for the 16,000 legal foreign workers.

Want to take further action by contacting the national press or pro immigrants groups? See this POST for contact information!
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In other news of interest to foreign workers, it is reported that the Morton memo created to reduce deportation of non-criminal overstaying aliens is being applied inconsistently across the nation. Read this New York Times report.

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The CNMI foreign workers are sponsoring two events after the November 21st day of solidarity and friendship gathering.

On Nov. 22nd, the foreign workers and their supporters will gather outside the federal court to support the petitioners who have filed a legal action against the implementation of the CW rule.

On Nov. 24th, Thanksgiving Day, there is a special program planned for the day. More details to follow.

14
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Wendy, you are stating to make a letter to those Congressman but you stated that these are all for LEGAL, LONG TERM ALIENS. I would like to know if the 628 conditional umbrella permit people are included on this. As per ICE these people are ILLEGALS.And how about those aliens without anything at all?

10:50 Are you talking about those people who were given umbrella permits with the approval of the AG before the deadline and then the DOL Deputy Secretary revoked them after they were given? Are they actually illegal? That must be determined by a court. ICE determined this? Based on a list from Governor Fitial? Everyone can write or call and state their individual circumstances to appeal their case. One thing that ALL of the foreign workers have is their First Amendment rights.

wow you are going out on a limb here but you are putting your money where your mouth is. If the co-sponsors get this letter I am sure some might consider recinding their support once they realize the error of their ways. Will they amend it, not likely as we head into a contentious election cycle. But there really are only less than 10% of the reps in the house co-sponsoring this and several appear to be doing it as a "you scratch my back I will scratch yours" co-sponsorship. Now that you call them out to put up or shut up my odds are on the shut up and perhaps a withdrawal of some co-sponsorship. If the author won't amend it I guarantee a co-sponsor won't and Killi isn't going to. the co-sponsors will wonder why if he won't they should........ I think USICE and the immigration judge figure if the CNMI gave you an umbrella permit you should have actually have it, an article written and in the paper on 11/26/09 and recinded one day latter with statements from the AG and the Sec. of DOL saying it was published in error isn't what the immigration court calls proof...won't matter anyway if you can't submit a legitimate clear copy of your issued umbrella permit with a CW visa application expect a denial from USCIS. the time is coming to be ready, in status or out. no one in the DHS or immigration court will care why you are out, specially if you know you are out but stay anyway. but again it is your choice, make an informed decision and know what the consequences are..

"While you suffer uncertainty and anguish over your status that could change from legal to illegal overnight after November 27th, another gathering will be held on November 21st in the state of Alabama."

Instead of Thanksgiving, we will celebrate "Thanksleaving". Thanks to US law that makes legal become illegals. Thanks to US law that makes illegals become legal.

I don't like distortions or spin as it is a better case when the truth is told...and the truth is the Governors umbrella permit made you legal in the same way it's expiration will reverse that. If it wasn't for those permits, 10k would have been illegal 2 years ago.

8:01 Is telling the truth going out on a limb? The co-sponsors received my July testimony and two letters. They know what the reality is. They know that they screwed 12,000 legal aliens. It appears they could care less. They are the ones who are preaching two immigration policies -a just and progressive one for 11 million undocumented aliens, and an unjust, oppressive and backwards one for the 16,000 LEGAL aliens in the CNMI. Who are these people really? They are talking out of both sides of their mouths. When the national press steps in they will be forced to tell what their motives are. If I can get over my bronchitis, I am considering driving up to the rally in Alabama. i have that week off and think I could bring some friends, carry some pro-CNMI legal alien signs, leaflet the place and drop some prepared press packages to the media. So disturbed by these members I once looked up to....

its meaningless to send them email.they are all corrupted.no one is interested in alien workers.its local rights to save them otherwise philipino will take over them island its an fact.its by usa to help them to care of them island.true is always bitter. hey rammmmmmmmmmm.

The Department of Labor never issued any “conditional umbrella permits” and that no “umbrella permits” were issued after the Nov. 27, 2009, deadline, according to acting Labor Secretary Cinta Kaipat yesterday.

In the joint statement, the Office of the Attorney General and Labor stated they would not issue “umbrella permits” to overstayers as the permits are not part of an amnesty program.

Buckingham earlier issued a public notice granting conditional “umbrella permits” to 628 aliens who have been classified as overstayers.

Doesn't get any clearer than that but again if it doesn't fit with what one wants to hear they ignore it.......

These “conditional umbrella permits” expire at the end of the day on Sunday, 27 November 2011, immediately before the second anniversary of Federalization Day (or “F-Day” as popularly known).

USCIS still has the list.

For those who have not obtained valid employment by then, and have had their employers submit CW-visa applications (thus automatically providing parole-in-place until adjudication of the application), it would not be surprising for DHS ICE DRO to start reinstituting proceedings in the Saipan Immigration Court on Monday, 28 November 2011 or afterward.

These 628 overstayers are precisely the people who are a high priority (after criminals) under the Morton memo.

The DHS appealed the decision in the Rejano case and appears to have won that decision. I hear it was a Woodruff case and he didn't bother to file his response. Sound familiar? Maybe this time his paperwork got mixed up with his kids homework or some other lame excuse...

Correction: “For those who have not obtained valid employment by then, and have not had their employers submit CW-visa applications (thus automatically providing parole-in-place until adjudication of the application) . . . .”

Sorry, I was sleepy when I posted this, and shouldn't use such long, convoluted sentences.